Flying from stansted - 3 hours early?

[graceinc22]

Hello mumsnet, collective wisdom appreciated. We are due to be flying out from Stansted at 7.20am tomorrow to Italy. Staying in an airport hotel, flying Ryanair. We have no luggage to check in. We have got an email telling us to arrive 3h before the flight due to delays and I totally appreciate there have been covid issues and don't want to miss the flight - seems like overkill though for so early in the morning. Has anyone flown from Stansted recently, what were the queues like?

[RedMake88]

You should go early - Ryanair and Stasted are a nightmare

[PriamFarrl]

I flew through Heathrow last week at a similar time of day. We got there 3 hours early and wizzed through security. We were then in a lounge. When we came out of the lounge the airport was heaving so I was glad we were early.

Personally I’d sooner be early and have to sit about than be stressed about missing a flight.

[VodkaSlimline]

I flew from Stansted last Friday with Pegasus. Queued for about 50 minutes to check in (the airline doesn't do online checkin for flights from there) but security was fine when I went through at about 12.00 - only waited about 5 minutes.

I wouldn't assume that you'll be OK just because it's early though - Stansted has a LOT of early morning flights!

[lickenchugget]

You should go, security is insane at the minute.

[MrsPnut]

We flew 2 weeks ago from Stansted on a 7am flight. Got up at 4 at the Raddison, left at 4:30 and got through security really quickly. We had time for breakfast and a sit down before boarding.

[Pollypocket81]

Flew from stansted on Thursday afternoon. Did not need to bag drop or check-in so went straight to security. It took 9 minutes and that was Fast Track. A lady in non-Fast track took a similar amount of time, maybe 1 minute longer.
I then hung around airport waiting for flight gate to be displayed.

[PAFMO]

Flew from Stansted to Italy last Sunday.
I got there 4 hours early as I was coming by train from the SW. The non flight side is, as ever, a building site (I've been flying from Stansted on this route for about 18 years at least 4 times a year and they just seem to be knocking a different bit about every time- oh look, the Costa has moved another 6inches to the left while they do something noisy behind some more panelling)
The security queue was never-ending and people were moved over to the fast track to clear it a bit. It wasn't that bad- I was actually bag-searched (fucking lip balm hiding in the lining of my bag) but we were through in about 30 minutes.
Bear in mind that Ryanair will want you at the gate a long time before the flight goes- we were sent to gate 1hr and 10mins before the flight.
So, go early, get through security. Spend money (but not for as long as you imagine)
IME it's fairly rammed all day - busier early in the morning and late afternoon.

[CountingToThree]

Does anyone know if Ryanair still offer bag drop the evening before?

[PAFMO]

@CountingToThree

Does anyone know if Ryanair still offer bag drop the evening before?

No, and they wouldn't let us drop before 2 hrs before the flight either. The self service bag drop opened at exactly the same time as your desk.

[Metalhead]

We flew from Stansted with Ryanair on Sat 9th, got there at 10am, no queue for bag drop and through security in 20 minutes. I’ve never seen it so quiet!

[Notdoingthis]

We flew Stansted Ryanair on Saturday. We planned to be there ages in advance but traffic held us up. It was all fine. Got there about 2.30pm, had to get the long stay shuttle so even later. Flight was 5.30pm. The only thing is, they didn't call the gate until just before it shut, so that felt rushed. But it was all fine.

[graceinc22]

Update. Arrived 2 hours early at 5.18. No queue at fast track security and we were through by 5.29. Now in the area with the shops and it's absolutely heaving, never seen it so busy!!!

[CountingToThree]

Thanks for the update, hopefully it will go as smoothly for us tomorrow! Enjoy your holiday

[Elmrosie]

Has anyone travelled on an early morning flight and used Ryanair’s night before bag drop please? We've had an email saying we can drop bags the night before as our flight leaves before 7.00, but confusingly it says bag drop opens at 2.30.